Coin-vending machine, (key.)



1. A. WEBSTER.

COIN VENDING MACHINE (KEY).

APPLICATION FILED DEC-4. I906.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3:: N v w a; a i K W JOHN A. WEBSTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. TO AUTOSALES GUM AND CHOCO- LATE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPQRATION OF NEW YORK.

COIN-VENDING MACHINE, (KEY) Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed December 4, 1906. Serial No. 346,319.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. "WEBSTER, citizen of the United States, residing at 133 lVilliam street, in the city of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin- Vending Machines, (Key,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to coin controlled vending machines in general but more particularly to that type of coin machines known as single action machines, that is, a machine carrying a single article or package, such for instance a cake of chocolate or other commodity as is now commonly dispensed from boxes secured to the backs of chairs or supports in theaters and other public places.

One object of my invention is to provide a coin-controlled lock for vending machines adapted to be operated independently of the deposited coin, whereby the box may be reopened for the purpose of refilling it with the article to be sold. A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the coin in the coin chute is simultaneously released for collection with the unlocking of the box by a special key; and with the above named and other minor objects, my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.-

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a box embodying my invention with the front plate of the lock removed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the box with the side plate partially broken away. Y

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the door open.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the box.

1 represents a box adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to a support such for instance as a chair in a theater or other public place of amusement in any well known or desired manner. This box is of a shape suitable to hold the article intended to be vended therefrom. 2 is a cover or door for the box hinged preferably to the bottom of the receptacle 1, as shown at 3. 4 is a flat or other spring, one end of which is secured at 5 within and at the bottom of the box, the other end of said spring bearing against the cover 2 as more clearly shown in Fig. 3.

If 1n the manufacture of this box, it is found desirable to have a compartment carried by the door within which the commodity to be vended is to be placed, a compartment 6 may be employed, said compartment being mounted on a clip or support 7 having an elongated slot 8 within which a pin 9 may reciprocate, said pin 9 being fixed to the compartment 6. 10 is a flat or other spring secured to theback of the box and 11 is a similar spring secured to the inside face of the door, said spring coacting to separate the compartment 6 and throw it into the space between the door and box when said door is open, thereby bringing the commodity held by-the compartment in a convenient position between the door and the box to facilitate its removal from said compartment.

The foregoing construction of the door and commodity holder is claimed in Patent No.'1,005,382 granted to me October 10,

1911, on an application filed of even date with this application.

The box is provided with a catch or keeper 12, the top of which is inclined downward toward the bottom of the box and is provided with a suitable opening 13 into which the bolt of the door is adapted to snap.

As shown in Fig. 1 the locking mechanism is carried by the door and is covered by means of a suitable face plate.

The door is provided with slots 14L enlarged as at 15 at the lower end thus forming a shoulder 16. 17 are looking bolts slida-bly mounted in said slots 14 and provided with a hook 18 at their upper ends as shown in Fig. 3, said hook being adapted to engage theopening 13 in the keeper 12 when the door or cover is closed. The bolts are provided with shoulders 18'. 19 are coiled springs, the ends of which are seated respectively against the shoulders 16 and 18 on each side of each bolt whereby the bolt is normally held in locked position so that whenever the door is closed the hooks of said bolts snap into engagement with the keeper 12.

20 is the coin chute or the slot.

21 are passive bell-crank levers carrying rollers 22 on one arm, said rollers projecting through suitable slots 23 in the door structure into the coin chute in the path of the descending coin. The other arm of each bell'crank lever projects into a slot or notch 24 formed in one side of the locking bolt 17.

25 is a manually operated device, shown in the drawing as a sliding member mounted on the face plate of the door and provided with a projection 26 which extends within the coin chute at a point immediately above a point centered between the two rollers 22. This projection 26 is adapted to be reciprocated in the slot 27 formed in the door, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1.

28 is a slide normally projecting in the coin chute in the path of a coin after it is operated or locked, the object of said slide being to lock the coin in the chute for authorized collection' This slide is provided with a series of notches on one of its sides adapted to be engaged by a series of tumblers 29 mounted in suitable slots formed in the structure of the door, said tumblers being held in locked position with reference to the slide 28 by means of the coiled spring 30 so that the projections on the tumblers lock the slide against unauthorized movement. 31 is a lever pivoted on the door structure, one end of which engages a notch 32 in one end of the slide, the other end of said lever projecting slightly beyond one edge of the key opening 33 formed in one of the edges of the door. 34 is a special key adapted to be inserted through the key opening 33 and of a construction to operate the tumblers 29 to free the slide 28 for movement. This key is provided with a shoulder 35 which, after the tumblers have been thrown for unlocking the'bar 28, on further insertion of the key engages the lower arm of the lever 31 swinging said lever on its pivot thus withdrawing the slide 28 from the coin chute and freeing the coin to pass out of the machine.

The foregoing construction of coin-retaining means does not in and of itself form part of my present invention, as it is set forth and claimed in the copending application of James V. Patterson, Serial Number 547,187, filed March 4, 1910, as a division of application 335,864, filed Sept. 24, 1906, and now Patent No. 974,813, dated Nov. 8, 1910.

The slide 28 is provided with cam faces 36 on one side adapted to be engaged by the rollers 37 mounted on extensions 38 which are integral with the locking bolts 17 so that when said slide 28 is moved by the special key and lever 31, said bolts are forced out of engagement with the keeper 12 and the door of the box is free to be opened.

-A coin inserted in the slot 20 falls by gravity until it rests on the two rollers 22. By pressing downward on lug 25, 26 is carried downward until it comes in contact with the coin and forces it between the two rollers spreading them apart and thus moving the bell cranlrlcvcrs 21, which in turn raise slides or bolts 17, disengaging them from l-:eeper 12, when the box may be opened by pulling the front forward and the package of goods removed. When the front is released, the strong spring causes it to close and all the parts resume the position which they occupied before the coin was inserted.

It now becomes necessary to refill the box with goods to be sold, and at the same time to remove the coin from the box, which was inserted in making the purchase. It is objectionable to insert another coin or token in the lock to operate it for the purpose of opening the box to refill it, therefore, I

have devised the construction whereby on inserting the special key 34, I manipulate the tumblers 29 to free the slide 28, and on further insertion of the key the shoulder 35 engages the lower end of the lever 31, rock ing said lever on its pivot, whereby the slide 28 is withdrawn from the coin chute, thus freeing the coin. As slide 28 is withdrawn from the coin chute the rollers 37 are forced upward on the machine or cam faces 36,

whereby, the locking bolts 17 are forced 17 to rise in the same manner as the forcing through of the coin did, and allows the box to be opened for the insertion of anew package of goods.

It will thus be seen that after the coin is inserted and the lock manipulated, the door is free to be opened whereupon the contents of the box may be removed and as soon as the contents are removed and the door released, it instantly, under the action of spring 4 one end of which is secured to it at 39, closes and the books of the locking bolts slide on the inclined face of the keeper 12 and snap into engagement with said keeper into the opening 13 therein. The spring 4 insures the door being in closed relation with the box at all times except when forcibly held in open relation, thus obviating the danger of the clothes of patrons being torn when passing between the rows of chairs of a theater.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking member, a coin-actuated device for operating said member into releasing position, manually operable means to carry the deposited coin into operative engagement with said device, mechanism for retaining the coin in the lock after it has passed said coin-actuated device, means connecting said coin-retaining mechanism With said locking member, and means for actuating said mechanism to release the coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coinactuated device.

2. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking member, a coin-actuated device for operating said member into releasing position, manually operable means to carry the deposited coin into operative engagement With said device, mechanism for retaining the coin in the lock after it has passed said coin-actuated device, means connecting said coin-retaining mechanism With said locking member, and an insertible anddetachable key for actuating said mechanism to release the-coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coinactuated device.

-5. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking member, a coinactuated device for operating said member into releasing position, manually operable means to carry the deposited coin into operative engagement with said device, a slide for retaining the coin in the look after it has passed said coin-actuated device, means connecting said slide With said locking member, and manually operable mechanism for actuating said slide to release the coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coin-actuated device.

l. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking member, a coin-actuated device for operating said member into releasingposition, manually operable means to carry the deposited coin into operative engagement with said device, a slide for retaining the coin in the look after it has passed said coin-actuated device, cam portions on said slide, means on said locking member adapted to engage said cam portions, whereby the movement of said slide into retracting position actuates said member, and manually operable mechanism for actuating said slide to release the coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coin-actuated device.

In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking member, a coin-actuated device for operating said member into re leasing position, manually operable means to carry the deposited coin into operative engagement with said device, a slide for retaining the coin in the look after it has passed said coin-actuated device, cam portions on said slide, means on said locking member adapted to engage said cam portions, whereby the movement of said slide into retracting position actuates said memher, and key-controlled mechanism for actuating said slide to release the coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coin-actuated device.

6. In a coin-controlled look, a coin-chute open. at the top and bottom, a vertical looking member, a coin-actuated device for 0perating said. member into releasing position, manually operable means to carry the deposited coin into operative engagement With said device, a horizontal slide normally pro- 'jecting across said coin-chute to retain the coin after it has passed said coin-actuated device, a cam portion provided on said slide, an extension on said locking member for engaging said cam portion, whereby movement of the slide operates the locking member, and key-controlled mechanism for retracting said slide to release the coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coineactnated de vice..

7. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a locking member, a coin-actuated device for operating said member, mechanism for retaining the coin in the lock after its action upon said device, means connecting said coin-retaining mechanism with said locking member, and means for actuating said mechanism to release the coin and at the same time operate said locking member independently of said coin-actuated device.

8. In a coin-controlled lock having a coinchute, the combination of a pair of slidable locking bolts, a pair of pivoted members having substantially horizontal portions for engaging said bolts and substantially vertical portions extending into said coin-slot for receiving and sustaining the deposited coin, and a common hand-operated device for forcing the coin between said sustaining portions to rock said members and thereby actuate said bolts, said coin-actuating device automatically discharging the coin from between said sustaining portions.

9. In a coin-controlled lock having a coinchute, the combination of a pair of vertically slidable locking bolts, a pair of pivoted members engaging said bolts and having portions extending into said coin-slot for receiving the deposited coin, hand-operated means for forcing the coin between said re ceiving portions to rock said members for actuating the bolts into releasing position, a device for retaining the coin in said chute after the operation of said locking bolts, operative connections between said retaining device and said bolts, and key-controlled means for operating said device to release the coin and also move said bolts into releasing position.

10. In a coin-controlled lock having a coin-chute, the combination of a movable locking bolt held normally in looking position, means for actuating said bolt into releasing position through the medium of a coin deposited in said chute, a device for retaining the coin in said chute after the operation of said bolt, an operative connection between said retaining device and said bolt, and key controlled means for operating said device. to release the coin and also move said bolt into releasing position.

11. In a coin-controlled lock having a coinchute, the combination of a vertically slidable locking bolt held normally in locking position, means for actuating said bolt into releasing position through the medium of a coin deposited in said chute, a horizontally movable slide for retaining the coin in said chute after the operation of said bolt, an operative connection between said slide and said bolt, and key controlled means for operating said slide to release the coin and also move said bolt into releasing position.

12. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a movable locking member, a coin controlled device adapted to operate said locking member through the medium of a Copies of this patent may be obtained for deposited coin, and a separate key-controlled 25 device for operating said locking member independently of said coin-controlled device, said key-controlled device being normally adapted to retain the deposited coin within the lock and release the same when operated.

13. In a coin-controlled lock, the combination of a slidable locking member, a pivoted coin-controlled device adapted to operate said member through the medium of the deposited coin, and a slidablekey-controlled device adapted to operate said locking member independently of said coin-controlled device, said key-controlled device being nor mally adapted to retain the deposited coin within the lock and release the same when operated.

In testimony whereof I alliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. ,VVEBSTER.

Witnesses FRANK G. TURNER, Gnovnn J. CAREY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

